Actors who are a part of the SAG-AFTRA union have gone on strike demanding greater pay and employee protections. Hollywood is experiencing a double strike, as writers represented by the WGA union have been on strike since May. A majority of SAG-AFTRA actors are not famous celebrities, but background actors who are fighting for living wages. Various actors have stated that they live paycheck to paycheck, and their current wages are close to minimum wage. Actors are also fighting for AI protections, and they do not want studios using their images and likeness without consent. The actor and writer strikes have halted most film and television productions, and almost all of the entertainment industry will shut down until agreements are reached.
See "Hollywood hit with a double strike as actors decide to strike alongside writers", Josh Rottenberg, Los Angeles Times, July 17, 2023